Category Archives: Urban scene

Apr 12 2012
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Urbis, Manchester

Wednesday 11th April 2012, 6.10pm (day 230)

Outside Urbis, 11/4/12

Am still off work so was going into Manchester tonight, for an evening out, as opposed to passing this place on the way in to work in the morning. It’s actually not ‘Urbis’ any more – a failed museum of ‘city life’ it is apparently being converted into the new National Football Museum, though there’s little actual sign of that happening right now. Took me a couple of minutes to get this exact photo as lots of other people were walking past, I kept hoping that a) the light would stay b) the girls wouldn’t just get up and leave and c) no one would arrest me for pointing a camera at them for ages.

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Apr 07 2012
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Happy Easter

Saturday 7th April 2012, 10.45am (day 226)

Easter egg, 7/4/12

Historically, as eggs were not supposed to be eaten during Lent, but you can’t persuade chickens to stop laying them for the duration, there would always have been a surplus of them at Easter. Hence, the practical usefulness of the tradition of the Easter egg. Apparently.

This display currently decorates the window of the Yorkshire Soap Co. in Hebden Bridge. Incidentally I like the very mild risque touch in this picture of confectionery, thanks to an unanticipated reflection.

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Apr 05 2012
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Hoge Brug, Maastricht

Wednesday 4th April 2012, 10.10am

Hoge brug, 4/4/12

Most of the Netherlands didn’t even exist until the 12th century, and Maastricht (from the Roman Mosae Trajectum) is the only genuinely venerable city in the country, having grown around crossing points over the river Maas (or Meuse). And here is the newest, the Hoge Brug or ‘High Bridge’. As you can see, it was something of a grey and dull morning, though not as bad as at home, where the early summer of two weeks ago has reverted to snow. Glad I’m away for a little while.

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Apr 01 2012
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Nutclough and Eiffel Buildings, Hebden Bridge

Sunday 1st April 2012, 9.20am (day 220)

Nutclough rooves, 1/4/12

It’s been interesting to use the progress of this blog to check the movement of the sun across the sky. Back in December it was setting behind the mobile phone mast you see here (and here); now it sets behind the houses much further round the valley. And the light hits bits and pieces of the architecture in slowly changing ways each week. Like this morning, when I looked out from my house and saw these chimney stacks lit up while the rest of the streets beneath were still in shadow.

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Mar 30 2012
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Serving the public good

Friday 30th March 2012, 2.35pm (day 218)

Public good, 30/3/12

Let’s think about it: will either David Cameron or George Osborne will have a statue erected to them in a hundred and twenty years’ time that will extol their contribution ‘To The Public Good? Considering the ideological stance of their party is that there is no such thing as ‘the public good’, I doubt they would want to see such a memorial.

On the other hand, considering that Mr. Heywood’s era resulted in Manchester becoming one of the most powerful and successful cities in the world, and built art galleries and universities and football clubs, and Mr Cameron’s era in Manchester is largely characterised by the closure of all but one of the city’s public toilets, it should be easy enough to predict the answer to the question posed earlier.

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Mar 27 2012
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Back to winter

Tuesday 27th March 2012, 11.40am (day 215)

Snow in Moscow, 27/3/12

In Britain at the moment it is about 21°C and full-on summer, apparently. But here, in Moscow… it isn’t. I have no idea what this structure actually is, it is either a ventilation shaft for the Metro or just a brazier, possibly there to help warm the homeless overnight. Either way it shows the reality of the weather here right now. International travel? Yeah, it’s fun… somtimes!

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Mar 24 2012
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

The last sunset of wintertime

Saturday 24th March 2012, 5.20pm (day 212)

Sunset, 24/3/12

Officially so. The clocks go forward tonight as we enter British Summer Time.

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Mar 19 2012
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Seacole Building, Birmingham City University

Monday 19th March 2012, 9.20am (day 207)

Seacole Building, 19/3/12

A trip down to Birmingham today for a one-day conference. It involved me getting up at 5.10am, but that’s by the by. I’ve been to all the major cities in Britain except Bristol, and I do think that Birmingham is the blandest. There just doesn’t seem to be much reason to go there. Apologies to the Brummies out there, but this is probably why I’ve nearly spent more time in Birmingham, Alabama in my life than in Birmingham, England. (Birmingham AL isn’t that exciting either, though it does have one really cracking pub.)

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Mar 18 2012
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Portrait, Stranger

Spring Sunday in town

Sunday 18th March 2012, 1.30pm (day 206)

Busker in square, 18/3/12

Beautiful day today, a proper spring Sunday. Lots of activity in the town square, including this busker and then there’s the kid on the right auditioning for his part in the local version of We Need To Talk About Kevin. All fairly normal for Hebden Bridge.

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Mar 15 2012
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Blossom in Calder Holmes park

Wednesday 15th March 2012, 8.40am (day 203)

Blossom in the park, 15/3/12

I have been trying hard not to repeat myself on this blog but there was a good excuse to do so today. One thing I hope this blog will come to show is the changing of the seasons, particularly in Hebden Bridge which for obvious reasons is going to provide the majority of these shots. Compare this shot to the one taken nearly six months ago, on October 20th, from exactly the same position, and you’ll hopefully see what I mean.

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